Light It Up Blue is TOMORROW

The countdown is on to April 1st! World Autism Awareness Month is in reach and we are so excited to Light It Up Blue! Every day, leading up to the big day we’ll post highlights, a special interview and much more!

Tune in for CBS’s The Talk

CBS’s popular talk show “The Talk” will feature the first of four weekly segments about autism on Friday’s show. Holly Robinson Peete, co-founder of the Holly Rod Foundation, Autism Speaks Board member, and co-host of “The Talk” will share her personal story about when her son RJ was diagnosed with autism. Peter Bell will join her!

Who’s Lighting It Up Blue?

Autism Speaks would like to thank the Empire State Building for the special lighting on the evening of April 1, 2010 in celebration of the third annual United Nations World Autism Awareness Day on April 2. Learn more about the Empire State Building at www.esbnyc.com. The Empire State Building design is a trademark of ESBC and is used with permission.
Visit www.lightitupblue.org to get pledge your support and get involved!

Community Spotlight

Autism Speaks: What are you Lighting Up Blue?
Lisa G.: My House!

AS: Why are you lighting your home blue?
LG: My daughter has Aspergers and I want to show my support for her and everyone else afflicted and affected by autism. I also want to share my support with my neighborhood/community. I am working on getting every home on my block to “Light it Up Blue” by offering them free blue light bulbs!

AS: How did you go about lighting up your block?
LG: I purchased my bulbs at Home Depot and am searching for blue Christmas lights to wrap around my porch and front of my home.

My house and my heart for are son who is one amazing kid to us. I pray the Lord will bless all the familys with Autism and help them help others. For we are not alone and this month the world will see us stand together to find a cure for Autism :)

MY SON TREVOR IS 15, HE HAS ASPERGER’S SYNDROME, WE WERE EXCITED ABOUT LIGHTING THE AUTISM SPEAKS LIGHT BULBS, BUT THE GOT HOT, & SMELLED BAD, BUT THAT WON’T STOP US FROM LIGHTING UP BLUE FOR AUTISM! MY SON WAS DISSAPPOINTED, BUT THIS IS HIS DAY & ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUTISM SPECTROM! WE WILL BLUE LIGHTS OF SOME KIND, HE WILL BE HAPPY!

Having been born during 1941, the mental health community had little knowledge of autism beyond its most severe syndrome during my 1950’s childhood.

It is so refreshing that today we have knowledge gained from research by Dr. Hans Asperger that autism comes in varieties – most of which allow the victim to lead a life sufficient to interact with others and hold a job. For myself, I became a CPA and practiced as such for thirty six years.

Please accept us; we’re a little different, but we want to be part of society albeit on our own terms.

I am so excited, I have changed my outside lights with blue bulbs and a big banner with the “light it up blue” logo, the ribbon representing autism, and the “autism speaks” puzzle logo. I will take pictures so every one can see my effort in spreading the word, ah!! and I also drew the logos on my van so every time I drive lots of people can see our pledge to the cause.